An appendix forms part of this application. The appendix, which includes a source code listing relating to an embodiment of the invention, includes 301 frames on 4 sheets of microfiche.
The invention relates to distributing information using a computer.
Browser software such as Netscape(copyright) Navigator(trademark) allows a computer system to request, retrieve, and display pages of this information from multiple World-Wide Web (xe2x80x9cWebxe2x80x9d) server computers across the Internet. Each of these Web server computers may have its own authentication procedure (e.g., based on an end-user identification number and a password). For example, the browser software may request a page (e.g., a xe2x80x9cframesxe2x80x9d page) that specifies combining information from multiple other pages from different Web servers. Absent prior execution of the authentication procedure of every one of the different Web servers, the page leads to an incomplete display.
Typically, a Web application running on a Web server receives from the browser software an information request formed from a text string known as a Uniform Resource Locator (xe2x80x9cURLxe2x80x9d), decodes the URL to determine how to respond to the request, and then returns a response formatted in accordance with the browser software.
In general, in one aspect, the invention features a computer-based method for use in distributing information. According to the method, based on an Internet-standard protocol, a request for the information is received, and based on the request, a function call is selected to direct across a network connection to a source of the information.
Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The request may include a URL or a predefined set of multiple subrequests. The method may further include, based on the request, creating a data object configured to receive at least a portion of the information, and making the data object available to the source of the information. The method may further include, based on the function call, sending a network request across the network connection. The method may further include making an initial function call based on the request, making a network request based on the initial function call, and basing the function call on the network request. The method may further include, based on the request, determining a level of authorization to which the source of information corresponds, or, based on the function call, providing static or dynamic data. The method may further include, based on the function call and a predefined function set, providing the information, or, based on the function call and another predefined function set, invoking a function of an operating system.
In general, in another aspect, the invention features a computer-based method for managing a request for information received in the form of a URL. The method includes identifying application software that corresponds to the request, based on the identification, selecting a function call to apply to the application software, based on the request, producing a data object for receiving at least a portion of the information, and based on the function call and the data object, producing a network message to direct across the network connection to the application software.
In general, in another aspect, the invention features a computer-based method for managing a request for information received in the form of a URL. The method includes: across a network connection, receiving a network message corresponding to the request, based on the network message, producing a function call to direct to application software, based on the function call, providing the information requested, and based on another network message, sending the information in response to the request.
Among the advantages of the invention are one or more of the following. A Web user can execute a single centralized authentication or authorization procedure for multiple Web applications. The operation of each Web application is simplified because each application is able to handle a URL-based information request in the form of a remote function call. The Web user can be provided with a Web page display that is based on multiple Web applications that are tied together by remote function calls.
Other advantages and features will become apparent from the following description and from the claims.